This most interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, from a parish and village so called near Lindsey in Lincolnshire, which was recorded as "Glentewrde" and "Glenteuurde" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The place is located on the western edge of a high ridge across from Glentham and the name is composed of the Olde English pre 7th Century elements "glente", a look out hill, and "worth", homestead or enclosure. Locational names were originally given as a means of identification to those who left their village or place of origin to settle elsewhere. Early recordings of the surname include the christening of one Elizabeth Glentworthe on November 12th 1580 at Kirton in Holland, Lincolnshire; the christening of Elizabeth Glentworth which occurred on December 10th 1600 at Barrow-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire; the christening of Edward, son of Edward Glentworth on July 16th, 1620 at Brigsley in Lincolnshire; and the marriage of Martha Glentworth to William Atkinson on July 31st, 1685 in London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Anne Glentworth, which was dated November 27th 1575, christened at Kirton in Holland, Lincolnshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st, "Good Queen Bess", 1558-1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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